Italy will begin their Nations League Group A1 campaign against Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on September 25, with the Italian Football Federation confirming dates and venues for the opening fixtures.
The schedule announcement arrives as the four-time world champions remain without a permanent head coach following Gennaro Gattuso’s resignation last month. Time is running short for the federation to appoint a successor before the September international window.
Autumn Schedule Confirmed
Following the home opener against Belgium, the Azzurri will travel to face Türkiye on September 28 at the Ataturk Spor Kompleksi in Bursa. The venue is distinguished by its unique serpentine architectural design.
October brings a challenging trip to Paris to face France at the Stade de France on October 2. Italy will then host the reverse fixture against Türkiye at the Stadio Dall’Ara in Bologna on October 5, giving supporters in northern Italy a chance to see the national team.
The federation has yet to confirm a venue for the home match against France on November 12. The group phase concludes with an away fixture against Belgium in Brussels on November 15.
Rebuilding Without a Coach
Gattuso stepped down after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, suffering defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-offs. The unsuccessful campaign marked another disappointing chapter for the Azzurri, who will now use the Nations League to begin their rebuilding process.
Vincenzo Montella currently manages the Turkish national team and will lead his side against Italy in both group matches. The former Fiorentina coach faces his home country twice within eight days during the busy autumn schedule.
With less than three months until the first fixture, the Italian Football Federation faces increasing pressure to name Gattuso’s replacement and allow the new coach minimal time to assess the squad before competitive action resumes.